Boltless joint connection.



2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

J; E. BEAVER. BOLTLESS JOINT CONNECTION.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 19. 1905.

PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

J. E. BEAVER. BOLTLESS JOINT CONNECTION.

- uuenloz Jbhnli. Baal er lllTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. BEAVER, or WARWICK, OHIO.

BOLTLESS JOINT CQNNEC'TION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed July 19, 1905. Serial No. 270,423.

The invention relates to an improvement in rail-chairs of that class designed to engage and support the meeting ends of railroad-rails.

The main object of the present invention is the production of a chair cast integral and designed to receive the meeting ends of the rails, means being provided whereby said chair and rails may be secured together to avoid independent movement. Another object of the invention is the provision of particular means for securing the chair with relation to the rails whereby to avoid the usualbolts or other fastening means requiring particular rail construction.

With the above objects in View the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, which will be described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improved rail-chair. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan of one of the wedges. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fi 1.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, my improved rail-chair is preferably cast integral and is designed to embrace the rail beneath the flange and on opposite sides of the web, provision being made for the reception of suitable Wedges hereinafter described.

The chair proper comprises a base-plate 1, designed to engage beneath the flange 2 of the rail, and flange-plates 3 and 1, which project inwardly from the side edges of the baseplate and are designed to overlie the respective lateral projections of the rail-flange 2. The flange-plate 3 is so spaced from the baseplate 1 as to snugly receive the adjacent extension of the rail-flange 2, while the flangeplate 4 is spaced from the adjacent extension of the rail-flange, as at 5, for a purpose hereinafter described. The flange-plate 3 is provided. at its inner edge with a verticallyextending web-plate 6, designed to fit the web 7 of the rail and terminate beneath and in contact with the tread 8 thereof. The flangeplate 4 is provided at its inner edge with a vertically-extending web-plate 9, terminating beneath the web of the rail, the distance between the web-plates 6 and 9 being in excess of the thickness of the rail-web to admit the fastening means hereinafter described. The web-plates 6 and 9 are suitably braced from their respective flange-plates by braces 10, said braces preferably comprising the particular arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, though it is understood that, if desired, I may provide said parts with any particular form of brace structure desired.

The terminals of the chair on opposite sides of the rail are provided with end walls 11 and 12, respectively, the former joining the flangeplate 3 and web-plate 6, while the latter joins the flange-plate 4 and the web-plate 9, the walls in each instance forming an effective brace for these plates at the chair ends. The walls 12 are of greater thickness than the walls 1 1 and are formed with longitudinallyarranged slots or openings 13, preferably formed near the upper ends of said walls and extending to the inner face of the wall, being in communication with longitudinal slots 14:, formed in the web-plate 9 and extending longitudinally thereof to a suitable distance to permit the insertion of the securing-keys hereinafter described. The web-plate 6 is provided 011 its inner surface with laterallyprojecting pins 15, which may be in any desired number and are adapted when the chair is inoperative position to engage recesses 16, formed in the web 7 of the rail, whereby to prevent independent longitudinal movement of the rails. To provide, however, for the necessary expansion and contraction of the rails due to the atmospheric conditions, the recesses 16 are preferably of slightly greater diameter than the pins 15, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2.

The construction so far described provides a rail-chair cast integral and comprising a base-plate designed to underlie the flange of the rail, flange-plates designed to overlie said flange, one of the plates being in contact with the flange when the parts are in operative position, While the other of said flangeplates is spaced apart from said flange and web-plates rising from the respective flangeplates, one of which is designed to snugly embrace the web of the rail, while the other is spaced a slight distance therefrom. It will thus be noted that the chair proper is in contact with the flange and web of-the rail on one side thereof, but spaced apart from said flange and web on the opposite side.

To secure the chair with relation to the rails, I provide Wedges 17 and 18, designed to be driven into the space intermediate the web-.plate'9 and the web 7 ofthelrail. These are also provided witha plurality of transversely-arranged openings or holes 22, de

signed to receive a cotter-pin .to secure the wedges inilocking position, as hereinafter described. The wedge '17 is EfOIIIlGCl at its lower edgeto .bearupon the slightly-inclined surfaceof the rail-flange 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, while the wedge 18 is provided at its ;lower edge with a laterally-projecting plate 24, designed to enter and completely ll thespace 5 between.theaflange plate 4and the flange 2 throughout" the length of the wedge.

In assembling the parts the meeting .ends of the rails are inserted between the webplates '6 and-9 with .their flanges resting on the tbase-plate .1. The chair is shifted laterally .to causethe pins l5.on .the web-plate 6 to enter .the recesses .16 in the respective rails and to cause said web-plate 6.to contact .with the adjacent side of the web. The .wedges are now inserted fromop osite ends of the chair, between the web-p ate 9 and web 7, the wedge 1.7 being arranged with its plain face next the web .of the rail, the wedge 18 being reverselyarranged,so that the inclined faces 19 of the wedges contact. The wedges are driven lengthwise'. of the chair to 'bindthe rails therein in an obvious manner, this movement of the wedges causing the keys to move longitudinally in the slots 13 and 14. After seating the Wedges in proper .relation to lock the rails with relation to the chair the cotter-pins 23 are driven through one of the openings 22 immediately forward of the inner faces of the walls 12, whereby the wedges are locked against accidental displacement. In thus positioning the wedges it will be noted that the plate 24 is driven longitudinally of .the chair to fill the space 5 throughout the length of the wedge, thus binding the adjacent extension of the railflange 2 to the base-plate 1 of the chair.

The chair is designed to be secured to the tie 25 in any desired manner, though I prefer to extend the base-plate 1 laterally beyond the respective flange-plates 3 and 4 to provide extensions 26, which may be suitably notched at 27 'to receive spikes 28, designed to be driven into the tie or ties.

The rail-chair above. described provides a simple integral structure which is adapted to engage and support the .meeting ends of railroad-rails inan effective manner. Thechair is effectivelylocked with 'relationto the rails by the use of wedges provided with keys adapted for adjustable connection with the chair proper, it being understood that the cotter-pins 23 described are adapted for cooperation withany ofthe openings 22 in the respective ikeys, whereby the wedges .may be locked againstdisplacement in varying longitudinal position, thus providing for securing within the chair-rails having greater .or .less thickness of web than-the standard rails,

as will be evident.

It will be noted that the. pins 15 are effective in preventing longitudinal movement of thefirails, .whileat the same time providing for thenecessary expansionand contraction thereof.

Without exception therails are ofthe usual standard construction, .as the rail-chair of my invention is adapted ifOI' cooperation with said rails without particular rail construction, the wedges described serving to effectively lock the chair and rails together.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination withthe'meetingends of railroad-rails,of a chair therefor including web-plates, means carried by one of said plates, to engage the rails, wedges to the inserted .between the other of said plates and the rail-webs, keys carried by said wedges and designed to engage the chair, and means to lock saidkeysto the chair.

2. The combination with meeting ends of railroad-rails, of .a chair thereforincluding a base-plateto underlie the flanges of the rail, flange-plates overlying said flanges, and webplates projecting vertically from the flangelates, one of said web-plates being spaced roin the rail-webs, vertically-arranged walls formed at the ends of the chair, wedges adapted for insertion within the space between the web-plate and rail-web, and keys carried by said wedges and longitudinally movable through openings .formed in the walls.

3. The combination with the meeting ends of railroad-rails, of .a chair therefor including plates to engage the rails, wedges adapted to be inserted between the other of said plates and the rail-webs, keys formed with a plurality of openings carried by said wedges, the chair being formed with openings to receive the keys, and cotter-pins to engage said openings in the keys to prevent removal of the wedges.

4. The combination with the meeting ends of railroad-rails, o'l a chair therefor including a base-plate, a flange-plate and a web-plate rising from the base-plate on each of the op posite sides of the rails, the flange-plate and web-plate on one side of the rails contacting with said rails, the flange-plate and web plate on the opposite sides of the rails being spaced therefrom, wedges adapted to be inserted in the space between the said webplate and rails, and a plate projecting from the wedge to seat in the space between the flange-plate and rails.

5. The combination with the meeting ends of railroad-rails, of a chair therefor including web-plates arranged parallel with the railwebs, pins projecting laterally from one of the web-plates to engage openings formed in the rail-webs, wedges to be inserted between the other of said web-plates and the rail-web, keys carried by said wedges, v and pins to lock said keys with relation to the chair.

6. A rail-chair comprising a base-plate, flange-plates extending inwardly and spaced from said base-plate, web-plates extending vertically from the fiange-plates, and wedges designed to cooperate with one of said web plates, said wedges being movably supported by the chair, and means for locking said wedges with relation to said chair.

7. A rail-chair comprising a base-plate, flange-plates extending inwardly and spaced from said base-plate, web-plates extending vertically from the flange-plates, and wedges designed to cooperate with one of said webplates, said wedges being movably supported by the chair, and means for adjustably looking said wedges with relation to said chair.

8. A rail-chair comprising a base-plate, fiange-plates extending inwardly and spaced from said base-plate, web-plates extending vertically from the flange-plates, and Wedges designed to cooperate with one of said webplates, the chair being formed with longitudinally-arranged slots to receive and guide the wedges, and means for locking the wedges with relation to said shaft.

9. A rail-chair comprising a base plate, flange-plates extending inwardly and spaced -from said base-plate, web-plates extending vertically -from the flange-plates, and wedges designed to cooperate with one of said web plates, keys secured to said wedges and movably engaging the chair, and means for locking said wedges with relation to said chair.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. BEAVER. lVitnesses M. J. BRAY, M. BYRON. 

